There is a lot of buzz being generated around the topic of hiring older workers. More recently, perceptions of older workers and their impact on the viability of businesses is being positively influenced, and awareness of the workforce deficits created by discrimination and ageism is slowly changing the trends of traditional hiring practices.
Columbia University of New York conducted a research survey with businesses in the city about their experiences and perceptions of older workers. The following information was taken from that study.
1. Older workers are skilled and experienced. We heard universally that older workers bring a level of experience, critical thinking and sheer knowledge that cannot be taught.
2. They stay in jobs longer and take fewer days off. Median employee tenure in 2022 was generally higher among older workers than younger ones. For example, the median tenure of workers ages 55 to 64 (9.8 years) was more than three times that of workers ages 25 to 34 years (2.8 years).
3. They have a strong work ethic. Business after business spoke about older workers being the first ones to arrive for a shift, as remaining focused throughout the day and as people who rarely miss work, even in fast-paced, physically demanding businesses.
4. They retain a business’s knowledge and networks Older workers know their way around the business and they retain the relationships with other businesses and customers in the community that have been developed over time. Consistency in service and Community familiarity are valuable assets.
5. The perceived technology gap can be overcome. Because older workers did not grow up with computers and the Internet, they can be perceived as slower or more resistant. Businesses who have expected all workers to adapt to new technology and provide support versus allowing some to lag behind, report better success, as do those who “think about the team,” pairing workers with stronger and weaker technology skills together.
6. Older workers prove that the best teams are multigenerational There is evidence that mixed age teams in the workplace are more productive than teams of workers of the same age. Older workers with experience in best practices can set positive examples to younger team members.
7. Older workers play a critical role in training the next generation of workers When you have employees with tenure and you bring new people in, you want them to be well trained in the best practices and nuances of the role they're being hired for. Seasoned employees are a great resource for training new hires.
8. They provide customers with consistency and personal attention Businesses frequently spoke about how their customers appreciate seeing long-time workers and feel that their presence sends the message that the business values its workers, its customers, and its community.
9. Older workers attract more business Older adults hold the majority of the country’s discretionary income and in cities where tourism is a large source of revenue, having older established workers tends to attract older customers who generally have more money to spend.
10. Older workers are part of the business brand Some businesses speak about older workers’ knowledge and personalized customer service becoming a part of their brand. A common perception of older workers is that the measure of service is of higher quality, older employees are more trustworthy, respectful and attentive. Some businesses pride themselves in showcasing their tenured employees because they believe the general public sees that as a measure of the businesses' value in their employees and their customers.
These are just some important aspects regarding the hiring and retention of older workers. The general consensus has been that having a younger workforce is an indication of a dynamic business that has the ability to adapt and evolve with changing business practices and new technology. While there may be some truth to that there is no reason to believe that older workers are not perfectly capable of adapting and learning new skills. After all, they've been doing it their whole lives!
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